Stories

Murder on 4th Street

by Emily P.
, Grade 7

Tip, tap, tip, tap goes high heels down 4th street. A lady in a black coat and long brown hair struts down 4th street. Purse swinging, legs walking, she passes a dumpster. A dark figure follows her in the shadows. A distance away so no one can see them, especially the lady. They creep up behind her with a knife.

“Ahh!” is what wakes up Scarlett Man in the middle of the night. It’s what wakes up everyone on 4th street in the middle of the night. Scarlett jumps out of bed, her red curly hair flying everywhere. She shoves her feet into boots and grabs a jacket as she sprints down the stairs, out of the apartment, and into the street where the scream was. Though Scarlett would learn later she should have just stayed in bed.

Scarlett opens the door to a sharp iron smell that starts to make her want to hurl. Closing her mouth and trying to lose the temptation she opens her eyes. Dead Mrs. Brunette, cold and bloody, she lays on the pavement.

“Who did this to Mrs. Brunette?” Scarlett says between tears that are starting to fall down her face.

“Well, we don’t know honey. But if you have anything that could helps us find out who did this would help out a lot. I’m Detective Bob White, at your service,” the big policeman says holding out his hand. Scarlett takes it and shakes it.

“Well, Bob very nice to meet you. I’m Scarlett Man,” she responds.

“It’s Detective White,” Bob replies trying to keep a smile on his face.

“Sure Bob, whatever you say. Anyway I didn’t know Mrs. Brunette very well, but yesterday I was in the office bringing in the attendance when I heard Mrs. White fighting with the principal, Mr. Peacock, something about money and funds. I didn’t get to hear much of the conversation because they rushed me out of there quick.”

“Thank you, Ms. Man, that helps a lot, but you should really be getting home.”

Wow, this guy sure has an anger issue, and is dumb as a doorknob, Scarlett thinks staring up at Bob. Scarlett pats Bob on the back.

“It’s okay Bob I can help you solve the murderer,” Scarlett says to Bob as he seethes in anger.

“No! Go home!” he shrieks.

“Fine. I will and find who murdered her first!” Scarlett retorts back.

“Sure.”

“I will! Just wait till you see!” Scarlett yells and runs back into her apartment building. Tears fall down her face, blurring her view of the world. Dirt, rust, and different colors of mold coat the staircase and street outside, Scarlett does her best to dodge it all as she runs to her room and under the covers of her bed.

“Who would kill Mrs. Brunette for something like money? She didn’t have a lot of it. But the school did . . . At least that’s what all the teachers said until it disappeared? And Mrs. Brunette and Mr. White were fighting about. What if Mr. White stole it and Mrs. Brunette found out? Mr. White did show up with a porsche after he drove an old, beat up ford truck for years,” Scarlett says out loud to no one as she stared up at the covers, throwing them off she rushed to the kitchen and grabbed apple. Eating and thinking, Scarlett comes up with a plan to get records on the school's funds. Scarlett finished her apple and got on her bike and started to peddle down to the school in her pajamas, boots, coat, and hope of catching a murderer. As soon as she got there she knocked on the door of the school and the principal opened up the door. The principal, a man with greasy hair slicked back, stared at her with a hovering smell of rose on him.

He does know that anybody who has read the Hunger Games knows that you can use the smell of rose to cover up blood, at least that’s what President Snow did, Scarlett thinks looking up at him.

“What are you doing here Scarlett?” he asks in his sickly voice.

“Um, I left my coat at school and I wanted to get it from the lost and found,” Scarlett responds happily she could come up with a lie so quickly.

“Aren’t you wearing your coat?” he questions.

“Well, you see, I left my other coat and my mom wants me to get.”

“Fine,” he says letting her in.

Scarlett runs to the office and starts looking through cabinets for the paper. Quickly and quietly, Scarlett finds it and guesses right a lot of it was taken out and put in Mr. Peacock's personal account. Scarlett runs and gets on her bike and goes all the way to the police station, where they arrest Mr. Peacock. Tip, tap, tip, tap goes Scarlett’s mother's high heels as she walks into the police station full of fury from looking for Scarlett. Her long black coat swinging as she drags Scarlett home by her ear to 4th street.